Second Chances
by avents04
Summary: Caroline is forced to return to Mystic Falls after going to New York five years ago, following her dream of becoming a lawyer. One day she must buy the bar of her ex and the next she wakes up with a new life. Now T, Later M
1. Chapter 1

**New Sto****ry****! ****It's true. ****For now ****this story ****is out of ****beta****. ****I've been ****dreaming about ****this story ****for over a ****week so**** I ****decided to try****!**

**All errors are ****my ****fault! ****(****English ****is not my ****first language****, ****have a little ****patience ****with**** the ****errors****)**

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Chapter 1

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'Mom, right now I don't have time to talk to you'-Caroline looked at the other side of the glass that divided the various offices and saw her assistant, Bonnie raising four fingers, warning that she had only four minutes to the meeting that would decide her future at the company.

'But Caroline, can't you take a few days off and spend a few days with me? We are no longer together for so long and I really need your help. The city needs your help...'-Caroline heard her mother and at the same time she separated some papers with the latest numbers relating to expansion studies of her client.

'I don't know how I can help you, mom'.

'You gotta find out who wants to destroy the _Grill_. Caroline, you know better than anyone the importance of that building'.

Caroline dropped the papers to the floor. Recomposing, she hastened to pick up the documents. 'I know well the importance of that building. Every time you call me, you like to throw it in my face'.

'Caroline, honey you know I... '.

'Not now, mom. Seriously, I need to hurry. I have less than a minute to end this call. I will call you as soon as I have time'.

She knew she was being blunt with her mother. After all, her mother didn't know anything other Mystic Falls and all her world revolved around that city.

But Caroline's world had expanded the day she decided to leave the city behind and moving to New York, accepting the proposal to go to work in the lawyers company she have always dreamed of. And at this point the company had a contract with a big chain of hypermarkets, the Factoryfive.

Caroline's mission was to introduce accessible locations where the guarantees of profit would be higher and with that she hoped that the company partners thank her the hard work she had during the last five years and she would become one of the associates.

'Bonnie, how long do I have?', she asked stepping out of her office in a hurry and organizing the best way the documents that had fallen to the ground while trying to fix her hair at the same time.

'One minute. They're all waiting for you'. Bonnie said.

In the last five years, Bonnie had become the only friend and confidante of Caroline. When she moved to New York, the first apartment she rented was small and in a problematic street, she had to walk for half an hour and take two transports to get to work. But not everything was bad in the building and Bonnie, her neighbor, was the example.

The two met several times at the entrance of the building and on a summer afternoon, after several conversations they decided to rent a better apartment together. Caroline knew Bonnie was not happy with the job she had and already being in the company for some time, she got her a job as secretary.

Picking up the papers and organizing them quickly, Bonnie turned her friend to the meeting room and giving her a nudge, she whispered. 'Smash them!'.

Smiling, Caroline turned to the people around the big table in the middle of the room and putting her seriousness mask she started. 'Good morning'.

'Good morning, Caroline. We've been expecting you'. Barnes Bound the senior partner of Bound Industry stood up and pointed to a couple. 'These are Derek State and Melissa Morgan. They belong to the Factoryfive.'

'Pleased to meet you. My name is Caroline Forbes. We can start'. Caroline turned out the lights and turned on the computer.

After twenty minutes, Caroline presented all locations where the supermarkets should be built, presenting arguments as to the costs and earnings of the company. When she turned off her computer, sat and waited for questions and suggestions that the clients may have.

Melissa looked up at Derek, who nodded. 'We liked your presentation and we agree with that plan, but there is a place that our partners require to be part of our supermarket chain'.

'And where is this place?'. Caroline asked, happy with the feedback she had received.

'Mystic Falls'. -Melissa informed her.

Caroline stopped the movement that she was doing with the pen. 'Mystic Falls? Mystic Falls?'. -She asked confused.

'We only know one place named Mystic Falls, Ms. Forbes'-Derek replied, laughing-'Mr. Bound informed us you lived there and we're interested in you to lead the way for this partnership'.

'Me? Lead the way to Mystic Falls?'. Caroline felt like she was in a strange novel, of those ancient where the King would ask his best man to go in search of lands. But after a few seconds she realized that Factoryfive was the company that was buying the _Grill_ and realized why Barnes had asked specifically for her to stay with these clients.

'Caroline, Factoryfive needs you only to go to the city and help them solve some problems related to the purchase of the place. It seems that some people aren't happy with the sale and who better to convince them if not one of the city natives? '. Mr. Bound approached-'These clients are very important. If we do business with them, that's going to be very favorable for us. So, you can have your place secured in society on the Bound's Company'.

#

'So tell me. How did it go?'Bonnie asked as soon as she entered in Caroline's office.- 'can we open the Champaign?'.

'Mr. Bound secured my place in society of the company'. Caroline told her. 'But ...'.

'But what?' – Bonnie exclaimed, extending her a bottle of water.

'I need something stronger than water'-Caroline paused-'I have to go to Mystic Falls and make the sell of the building where my ex-boyfriend has a bar'.

'Klaus?'. Bonnie asked surprised.

'The one and only!'.

#

_**Four days later**_

'Caroline wakes up, we've arrived!'-Bonnie shook lightly her friend's arm.

Caroline opened her eyes and looked to the other side of the glass and saw the sign that said _Welcome to Mystic Falls_. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at Bonnie who was driving and humming a song that was playing on the radio. 'I wish I could be so happy as you are'-launching another look to the window, she said-'I never thought I'd return to this city!'.

'Don't worry'-Bonnie assured 'We'll be quick! We just have to convince the Town Council to sell the building and go straight to New York. Next week you will be seeing the next Louis Vuitton store.'

Caroline tried not to worry as Bonnie headed for her childhood home. Tried to ignore the panic that plagued every step she took away from the life she loved and toward that big canyon, which was this town.

She was young, brilliant, beautiful and she had money in the Bank. More than she ever hoped to have had her whole life. Life was like a blank book. The only thing she needed was to get the pen and start writing. Hopefully, Grill's contract.

However, when looking at the house where she grew up, she remembered her father and her friends when she lived there.

'Oh Bonnie if it was so easy'. Caroline sighed when the car stopped.

'Beautiful home!' Bonnie exclaimed, amazed. 'And it's all so quiet! I hope to be able to sleep without the constant noise of cars and people'. She laughed and locked the car. 'Let's go'.

Picking up the bags, the girls entered in the house. 'Mom!' she repeated-'Mom'.

'I think she's not here'-Bonnie exclaimed and sat on the huge couch that took up nearly half of the room. 'This couch is great'. She struggled to open her eyes. After hours driving, Bonnie was feeling tired.

'Let's go, Bonnie'-Caroline took the bags and started to climb the stairs – 'I'll take you to your room and you can rest. My mom's probably working'.

'What will you do?'-Bonnie asked when entering the guest room that would be hers.

'I'm going to go for a run. I have a lot of energy and need to release it'. She said, to reassure her. 'Don't worry, I won't be long. In a few hours we have the Council and I still need to go read some papers. I'll wake you'.

'You want me to go with you?'-her friend asked-'I'm not tired. I can go with you'. Bonnie said, and yawned right away. 'This is just a reflex'.

'You're going to rest! I need you to help me in the council. Believe me, I'm going to need all the moral support you can offer'.

**#**

Caroline always liked to run. And despite not liking of Mystic Falls, she knew that between run in this town or in New York, no doubt, that here was a lot better. There were no cars honking to get her out of the way, or people screaming for her to disappear. Here she could run at her own pace without these concerns.

So she ran. And ran, until she felt exhausted and had to stop. She was determined to get into the meeting of the City Council, strong. After all, her future depended on it and so it was best to start working on it. But only after she go home and drown her sorrows in ice cream.

But the moment she turned around to go home, heard a bark menacing and turning saw a huge dog in her direction. That thing was going to bite her, for sure.

Gaining courage, she started running in the other direction. The dog kept after her, she could feel it. But also heard a male voice, presumably the dog's owner. Turning for help, she gave a long sigh. And landed on the ground with her butt.

Whatever had shocked against her had made her fall to the ground. Heard a grunt and what must have seemed like a whip. Breathless and with what appeared to be a small mountain on top of the chest, she looked up and noticed a black, furry snout.

While trying to retrieve the breath, a long tongue went out and licked her from top to bottom.

'_Thunder_. Sit down, get out! Damn, I'm so sorry'.

Caroline heard the voice, the mild panic to recognizing it, while turning her head to try to avoid the dog.

Suddenly, the huge black mass seemed to have arms. Then came a second head.

This was human and very attractive, in spite of the sunglasses that hung over the nose, Caroline recognized him.

'Are you okay? Did you get hurt?'

The man walked away from that massive dog and then introduced his own body between them, as a wall of defense.

'Can you sit?'.

The question was futile, given that he already had begun to pull her, causing her to pass that awkward position to a sitting position. The dog tried to put the muzzle between the two, but went away with an elbow.

'Lie down, you really are a disaster. It's not for you'- he added with a quick charming smile, while pulling away the hair of Caroline's face-'Caroline.'. He pulled his hand quickly, as if it had been burned.

'Oh, Hi Klaus!' she managed to say.

She slid the look to the right, where the dog, if it was a dog, was lying, wagging his tail as big as her arm, looking so innocent as something weird could have.

'Hi, Klaus?'-he imitated her voice – 'Is that what you have to say after five years? Five years?' he repeated.

'Seriously? What do you want me to say?'-he didn't respond and when she looked, noticed him looking at her with a quiet intensity that caused a shiver of heat through the skin. -'What?'.

'Did you hit your head?' –for a second, she thought see concern in his eyes.

'I don't think so'.

'What are you doing here?'. He asked while she got out of the ground.

'Running. Or trying until your dog threw me to the ground!'. She had awareness of the pain on her anatomy.

'No. What are you doing in Mystic Falls? I think that five years ago I heard you say that you would never go back here'. He gave her a yellow smile, pointing a finger at the dog that was trying to move towards them.

'I'm working'. It was the only response from her.

'Work, huh?'.

'Yes. And now take your dog. I need to go'. She took the mp3 that had fallen to the ground and put it in her pants pocket. And when she saw that she had chipped a nail, all she wanted was to curl up in a ball of sorrow and self-pity. Instead, she opted for the bad mood. Klaus always brought the worst of her.

'You can't walk down the street with a dog this size if you can't control it. He is just a dog, he doesn't know how to proceed, but you have to'.

'He can be a dumb dog but he's harmless. No one in this town complained of _Thunder_!'.

'You know what? Go away. Go far, far away' – she raged, and pulled away from there with the utmost dignity which she managed to gather.

'That's what you did. Since you have practice, why don't you go?'-he said aloud but then he stopped to see her go away while _Thunder_ trudged to pull his weight against the owner's leg. –'Good job, jerk'- he added looking at _Thunder_.


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

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Liz Forbes was driving her police car when she saw her daughter coming up in the last quarter toward their house. 'Caroline what happened to you?'-she asked when she saw her daughter's flustered state.

'Uh mom?! I arrived a little while ago and I was running'. Caroline entered in the car, despite the short trip.

'You made me remember the times when you'd run away from home to meet with that boy, Matt Donovan and I would always find you at the way home. Always late, I might add'.

'That was a long time ago. I loved Matt, he was my best boyfriend, no doubt. You never had to worry about him'-Caroline replied.

'I'm glad to hear it'.

'Mom, what do you know about Klaus?'.

'The Michaelson boy?'. – Liz asked surprised.

'Yes'.

'Well, he married Hayley four years ago but the marriage only lasted a year. He works on the _Grill_'s. You know he made that bar very successful. He got a good security and a very good chef. People like to go there'.

Caroline's lips contracted.

'Mom, I have to tell you something' - she said with firmness despite the node that she felt in the stomach. -'The reason I came here'.

'You have to tell me that you came here to help that big company to buy and destroy the _Grill._ Am I right?'. Liz parked the car next to her house. 'I hope you don't plan on making big changes around here, you know that we don't like major changes'.

'Are you going to the meeting that the Town Council prepared?'.

'Of course'.

'Great. I have someone at home for you to meet'.

'Oh…don't tell me you married with some guy and that you finally brought him for meet your mom?'. Liz asked, smiling.

'Of course not. It's a woman'. Liz looked surprised.

'Mom! It's my friend Bonnie. Remember when I told you about Bonnie?'.

'Of course, sweetheart'.

#

After a hot shower, a change of clothes and a medicinal cup of ice cream, Caroline and Bonnie headed for the library. The decisions were being made today. The Town Council had scheduled a meeting in the library to decide about the sale of the building, after all the building belonged to the town and the sale had to be accepted by the Council.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been in a library. For whatever reason, go in there made her feel again a student, full of ingenuity, hope and willingness to learn.

The main area was not large, and the tables were almost all free. She saw an older man reading the paper and half a dozen people wandering along the shelf.

When she entered in the conference room, she was temporarily halted with the grandeur of the place. The room was so full, that anyone noticed her entry.

Caroline joined Derek and Melissa, who were already seated along with the Municipal President, Mrs. Lockwood. Years ago, Caroline met Tyler, Mrs. Lockwood's son. He was in her class and the last time she knew, he had taken a journalism course and travelled around the world, publishing several stories. During some years of her adolescence, she felt a crush on Tyler, until she met Klaus, the new kid who had moved to the town.

'Everybody, please' – Mrs. Lockwood pleaded – 'We are all here to decide the sale of the space where the _Grill_ is'.

Out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw Klaus rise and smiling sarcastically. 'Mrs. Lockwood, I think this meeting is not necessary because the _Grill_ will not be sold to make another supermarket. So this is a waste of time'. – He concluded, smiling and showing his dimples. She hated that presumptuous smile.

'And what right do you have to say that?', Caroline rose, angry. _How does he dare_?

'Well, first because I am the owner of the _Grill_'.

'Mr. Mikaelson may I remind you that that land belongs to the city's municipal Chamber, not to you. So the camera can decide to sell the land, either to Factoryfive or to another person. Perhaps you are interested in purchasing it and thus acquire all rights of property'. Caroline smiled. For the first time, since she arrived she felt triumph over him.

'You know that I can't buy that space, don't you?'. He gritted his teeth.

Caroline sat, she knew the reason and for many years found it unfair. Jesus, in spite of everything that happened between them, she still continued to find unfair. But she was there as an employee of Bound's Company and she really needed that completion.

'The money offered by Factoryfive is enough to make major changes in the town. Necessary changes. We all know that. So we are just dealing with a few more details but everything indicates that the space will be sold'. Mrs. Lockwood had always been a very calculating and Caroline knew that the money offered by the Factoryfive was going to convince her to sell almost everything on that city.

'If you give us another week, we can prove that the _Grill_ was built for over two hundred years and for this reason it is considered historical monument. Even though the Factoryfive buy the land, they cannot destroy the _Grill_'. – Liz Forbes stood up and gave a paper to the President.

When the paper came to Caroline's hands, she saw that it was true and that everything indicated that the building was a historic monument, so it couldn't be destroyed. – 'But lacks the physical evidence for the judge to declare it historical monument. Without such evidence, this paper is worthless'. She said, feeling bad about being against her mom and the entire town.

'That's why we need another week. Caroline you...'.-Liz was interrupted. People were screaming against the sell.

'We're here to make acquisition, not to wait another week for evidence that will make us not do the purchase. So I think this conversation is over, don't you Mrs. Lockwood?'-Derek declared.

'Yes, it is. Thank you for coming over here'. Mrs. Lockwood stand up and with a wave of her hand and walked away, along with Derek and Melissa.

Caroline saw that Melissa stopped in front of Klaus and told him something that made him smile. She tried to convince herself that what she felt were not jealous, in the end, it had already passed five years, he could smile and flirt with anyone we wanted. It was none of her business.

'Care, you know that if you give us another week, we're going to get that paper from the judge. You know the importance of the _Grill_. That bar is part of the city, just like you are'- Liz tried to draw her daughter's attention.

'I can't do anything, mom'. She continued to tidy things up and felt her mother to turn her backs and walk away. When she was about to leave the room, she felt a hand holding her elbow and turned.

It was Klaus and he wasn't happy. 'So the big New York lawyer cannot do anything to delay this for a week? What a great lawyer you become'. He stuck with venom in his voice.

She pulled the arm with no success. 'I can't really do anything. The President Lockwood has already decided to sell the space, the only thing that is missing is signing the papers'.

'It's all right in here?', Bonnie asked when she saw Klaus hold firmly her friend's arm.

'Yes, I'm leaving. Come on, Bonnie'-Caroline returned to pull her arm this time successfully. Only when she got back to her car, she rubbed the sore arm.

#

In the next morning, when she was alone at home, Caroline decided it was time to go to the computer to do some research. Despite hers future depend on that sale, she had spent the whole night in white with remorse.

After a few hours, she heard the bell and open the door thinking Bonnie would be back from her tour in the town.

'Oh, my God. This can only be a joke'. She saw Klaus and his huge dog standing in front of her.

'I can let him in here'. – said Klaus quickly-'But we really need to talk. Can I come in?'.

'He's going to dig my mother's flowers'.

'_Thunder_ don't dig'.

'I don't know. If he's anything like the owner he'll be digging where he shouldn't'. –_Thunder's_ nose advanced to her legs. 'Like I said'. – She retreated, defensive, which was the only invitation that _Thunder _needed.

Terrified, Caroline flung open the door.

'Out, out, out now'.

Klaus grabbed him in the collar with both hands and dragged him in weight to the other side of the door. 'Are you alone?'.

'Yes'. – she answered, watching him as he lurked behind her, to the room. He seemed more…well, more beautiful, if that were possible, more manly, more man compared with the boy she left five years ago. -'What are you doing here?'.

'Firstly, I came because we have old business to settle'.

'I think our issues were resolved five years ago. You betrayed me. I walked away. Issue resolved! I think... '.

He interrupted her. 'And second, because I wanted to ask you a question. Did you already lunch?'.

'No, but I have plans.'

'Cancels them. I want you to come with me to the _Grill_'.

'Not a good idea'.

'I think it's a great idea. Take your Gucci or Guessi coat, it's fresh, love'.

He saw the surprise in her eyes but turned to the door with thunder. 'Let's go'.

'It's Gucci, your caveman!'.

Ten minutes later, Caroline found herself outside the _Grill_. 'Why are we here?'.

'Because I want to show you what you want to destroy'. He pushed her to enter at the same time that she heard the old clock on the _Grill,_ indicating the hours.

The _Grill_ that she knew was gone. Now she was in front of a spectacular bar. The walls were still in the same color, but were arranged. The tables and the chairs showed good taste. Caroline closed immediately her open mouth.

Looking back she saw a ladder next to the front door, next to the clock. Klaus saw where she was looking and clarified. 'We're fixing the old clock. I don't know why but it's broke down'. Caroline thought it was strange because in less than a minute she had heard the clock.

'This is really different'. – She admired the work.

She was so distracted that she didn't noticed that Klaus had entered in the kitchen from the bar and a minute later placed a plate of food in front of her.

Sitting, she began to eat silently. Neither of them said anything while they ate.

When she finished her meal decided to end the silence. 'I know why you wanted to bring me here. I think you did an amazing job with this bar, but my job is dependent on this sale. I can't help you'.

Placing the napkin on the table she started getting up. 'I really appreciate the lunch. The food is excellent. The bar is beautiful. But I need to go'.

'My sweet Caroline, always on the run'. Klaus stood up and clapped. 'Congratulations, you're going to do another one of your outputs '.

'I don't regret having gone five years ago. You betrayed me. .. '.

'You didn't even listen my explanation. I never cheated on you. It was all a misunderstanding'. Klaus come close.

'Stay there'. She stopped him. _Thunder_ rose and followed the owner. 'I needed to get out of here. But you didn't wait too long, did you? I hear you're separated from Hayley. I am truly sorry. But I'm not sorry for leaving. For taking a career I wanted. For having an important job. By living where I've always wanted ... and now I'm not sorry for help sell this fucking place'. – as soon as the words came out, she didn't wait to see Klaus's reaction and opened the door with all her force and one of the planks of the ladder fell on top of her head.

Before falling, she felt a pair of hands grabbing her, preventing her from falling to the ground and a voice calling her name.


End file.
